The ICJ today expressed deep concern after the Sri Lankan Government informed it that the ICJ’s official representative would be prevented from entering the country.
The ICJ and the Observatory welcome the decision of the Magistrates Court in Harare to dismiss criminal charges of “broadcasting without a license” against the trustees of the Voice of the People (VOP) radio station.
Read the 13th issue of ICJ’s monthly newsletter on proposed and actual changes in counter-terrorism laws, policies and practices and their impact on human rights at the national, regional and international levels.
The International Bar Association, in conjunction with the American Bar Association, held a symposium: ‘The Rule of Law – A Plan For Action’ on 16-17 September 2006 in Chicago.
Mary Robinson (photo), ICJ Commissioner and Member of the ICJ Eminent Jurists Panel on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, gave a speech.
This symposium gave the opportunity to bar leaders and lawyers from all over the world to discuss the issue of the Rule of Law.
For more information, consult: http://www.rolsymposium.org
Please find below a copy of the speech:
Speech Mary Robinson-Events-2006 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ welcomes today’s decision of the Hong Kong Court of Appeal in the case of William Roy Leung vs Secretary for Justice.
The Hong Kong Court of Appeal upheld the decision of a lower court that a provision of the Hong Kong Crimes Ordinance (section 118C) was discriminatory based on sexual orientation, as it prohibits consensual male homosexual sex until both parties are above 21 years old. The Court also affirmed that this provision constitutes an arbitrary interference on the right to privacy.
“The decision is a vindication of the right to equality before the law and non discrimination and is consistent with Hong Kong’s obligations under the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, ” said Philip Dayle, Legal Officer at the ICJ.
The Crimes Ordinance criminalizes parties to consensual male homosexual sex even if both participants are over 16 years of age, but one party is under the age of 21. Consensual sex between heterosexual persons who are above the age of 16 is not similarly outlawed. The Court reasoned that, “…section 118C of the Crimes Ordinance significantly affects homosexual men in an adverse way compared with heterosexuals.”
The ICJ offered an exposition of the international human rights and comparative public law analysis in relation to sexual orientation in this matter. This intervention was incorporated in the amicus brief of the Equal Opportunities Commission of Hong Kong and was presented to the court.
Both the decision of the court of appeal and the ICJ arguments in this matter are available on the ICJ website
Hong Kong-Roy court appeal-Press releases-2006 (full text, PDF)
The Eminent Jurists Panel on Terrorism, Counter-terrorism and Human Rights, concluded its visit to Washington, D.C., today.
The panel is an independent group of eight jurists appointed by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) to conduct a global inquiry on the impact of terrorism and counter-terrorism measures on the rule of law, human rights and humanitarian law. The US hearing was the 7th hearing following visits to Australia, Colombia, East Africa, Britain and Northern Ireland, and North Africa.
USA-Panel concludes hearing-Press releases-2006 (full text, PDF)
Palestine/Israel: Israel must immediately stop its criminal forcible displacement in Gaza
HRC59: ICJ Statement in the interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Venezuela – addressing arbitrary detention and repression of civic space
HRC59: Joint statement during interactive dialogue on Myanmar – addressing ongoing atrocity crimes and the collapse of judicial independence
HRC59: Joint statement during the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Belarus – condemning repression of lawyers and the erosion of judicial independence